If there is one thing that many tourism trend analyses agree on, it is that Asia is in fashion. Just opening TikTok reveals hundreds of influencers sharing their travel routes through Tokyo or their latest excursion into the wild nature of Thailand. Among all destinations in the vast Asian continent, there is one that has become the favorite of remote workers because it is the most affordable city in the world. It is named Weligama and it is in Sri Lanka.
Here the scenic train that runs from Kandy to Ella through tea plantations does not pass. However, its paradisiacal beaches, filled with a deep silence and carved by whales, have become the perfect setting for digital nomads, who are increasingly seeking remote destinations where to find the perfect balance between telework and tourism.
Why Weligama is perfect for teleworking
The recognition comes from Hotel With Tub: a platform that recommends to travelers the best hotels. In addition, it also conducts studies related to the world of luxury travel; precisely in 2025 it launched an analysis of the best destinations for digital nomads, in which various qualities of 100 cities around the world were studied.
Among the factors considered when compiling the ranking, we find safety, connectivity, lifestyle, sense of community, infrastructure and affordability. In that sense, they found a clear winner: Weligama, a Sri Lankan city in which the cost of living is about 500 euros per month for solo travelers, and about 1,500 euros per month for families.
Additionally, the platform notes that, although it is a developing city, its safety levels are more than acceptable, due to its slow pace of life. It also stands out for the growing scene of coworking spaces, which is drawing the attention of remote workers from fields as diverse as writing or wellness.
These reasons put it at the forefront of other equally affordable destinations, such as Denpasar, in Indonesia, which has a lower quality of life and receives forty times more travelers than this beautiful coastal town of Indonesia, which barely receives 140,000 visitors per year.
Other reasons to visit this Asian city
In Weligama there is no rush. In this sandy city (that is what its name means) the sunrise stretches across the orange sky unhurriedly, creating impressionist scenes for anyone who wishes to admire them. Its pace is slow, simply because it can afford it. Here the population, mainly fishermen, lives following the rhythm of the sea. Even the air that sways the palm trees lining the coast takes it easy.
Travelers who disembark at its ports do not arrive here by chance. To do so, they often take a flight to the nearby city of Colombo and once there, head to Colombo Fort station to embark on a train that will take them to Weligama. Once there, many take to learning to surf.
Many others are drawn by the tranquil atmosphere of the southern coast of Sri Lanka, by its fresh seafood and its beachfront villas. The landscapes, featuring rocky coves, vast stretches of white sand and coral reefs, manage to make even the most meticulous person set aside schedules and allow themselves to enjoy without any hurry.
Weligama, the best place to relax
As is the case in almost any point along the country’s coast, the beach is the ideal place to enjoy a traditional Ayurvedic massage. However, relaxation goes beyond hammocks and umbrellas. In Cape Weligama, one of the best hotels in the city, tranquility is dressed in luxury thanks to its 39 villas and private suites, with views of private gardens that do not hide the beauty of the Indian Ocean.
A series of houses distributed in such a way that they resemble a traditional Sri Lankan village, an infinity pool and a series of stone paths that disappear into steep coves. Huge gardens of lush greenery. Rooms with soft beds and smooth sheets where you can receive exfoliating massages with spices grown inside the hotel itself. All of that (and a little more) is what you can find in this beautiful Relais & Châteaux resort.
The stay alone would be enough to remember this trip forever, but the restaurant’s gastronomic experience adds another layer of depth to the memories. The base of the menu is local cuisine, prepared with fresh fish and seasonal products. The result is a series of dishes where fish such as tuna and seafood such as lobster are the protagonists, creating explosions of flavor and color unlike anything we have tasted or seen before.
TURIUM TIPS
Weligama is the ideal place for blue whale and dolphin watching: the best time is between November and April and we recommend getting up early, as local tours usually depart at first light, around 7:00.
Do not miss seeing the stilt fishermen, who fish perched on a pole. This is a practice that could date back to the end of World War II, when the local population began to venture into the deep coral reefs to seek food amid shortages.
